An Ode To Watts.

Kay Meraz Sep 2012

An Ode To Watts.

in my city, my pretty pretty city,
People lock their doors driving through my pretty pretty city.
in my city, my pretty pretty city,
Dogs are the kings in my pretty pretty city.
in my city, my pretty pretty city,
Harlots bargain with panderers in my pretty pretty city.
in my city, my pretty pretty city,
Felons avoid the police by hiding in schools, in my pretty pretty city.
in my city, my pretty pretty city,
Eye contact is discouraged, in my pretty pretty city.
in my city, my pretty pretty city,
Walking alone can be the biggest mistake you ever made, in my pretty pretty city.
Oh-
but in my city, my pretty pretty city,
the sea sends you salty, sandy kisses, in my pretty pretty city.
Oh-
and in my city, my pretty pretty city,
the railroad tracks take you to Zion from my pretty pretty city.
Oh-
in my city, my pretty pretty city
i have left behind my blood and promises to return.
Oh-
my city, in my pretty pretty city,
hearts break, while others mend,
tears fall, while smiles are conceived,
hate roams, while lovers love,
fear attacks, while fortitude prevails,
Oh-
my city, my pretty pretty city,
that's where i belong.

33°56′30″N 118°14′30″W coordinates to my heart.

Covid and kids

kids just love sponge bob

Counting BY MARGARITA ENGLE

Counting

BY MARGARITA ENGLE

Harry Franck, from the United States of America - Census Enumerator

I came to Panama planning to dig

the Eighth Wonder of the World,

but I was told that white men

should never be seen working

with shovels, so I took a police job,

and now I've been transferred

to the census.

I roam the jungle, counting laborers

who live in shanties and those who live

on the run, fugitives who are too angry

to keep working for silver in a system

where they know that others

earn gold.

When islanders see me coming,

they're afraid of trouble, even though

I can't arrest them anymore—now

all I need is a record of their names, ages,

homelands, and colors.

The rules of this census confound me.

I'm expected to count white Jamaicans

as dark and every shade of Spaniard

as semi-white, so that Americans

can pretend

there's only one color

in each country.

How am I supposed to enumerate

this kid with the Cuban accent?

His skin is medium, but his eyes

are green.

And what about that Puerto Rican

scientist, who speaks like a New York

professor,

or the girl who says she doesn't know

where she was born or who her parents

are—she could be part native, or part French,

Jamaican, Chinese ...

She could even be part American,

from people who passed through here

way back

in gold rush days.

Counting feels just as impossible

as turning solid mountains

into a ditch.

Margarita Engle, "Counting (Harry Franck from the United States of America Census Enumerator)" from Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal.  Copyright © 2014 by Margarita Engle.  Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Source: Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014)

Discipleship, the Bible, followers of Jesus

Discipleship, the Bible, followers of Jesus
Today's readings: Exodus 37, 38, 39, 40

I just finished going out! Good friends! You have already directed three of the longest books of the Bible and you are on your way to achieving your goal of reading the Bible this year! If you have lagged a little ... do not worry! Keep plugging away! Remember that reading the Bible a year is somewhat arbitrary. Good to read the Bible in six months or a year and a half! God honors all the time we spend on His word.

Before we leave Exodus, I would like to mention two kids who are often forgotten. Bezalel and Oholiab are just as critical of this story as Moses, Aaron, Miriam and all the others. Without God's gifted skill and talent and passion for craftsmanship, we would not know much about how the first Israelites worshiped. Without their attention to detail and the ability to shape gold and wood and cloth, we would not have the tent and all its furniture. No sheet. No altar. No golden lamp stand. You can recall Genesis 31 by saying these words: “Behold, I called Bezalel the son of Hur, son of the tribe of Judah, and I filled him with the spirit and intelligence of God with knowledge and all craftsmanship artistic design, work in gold, silver and bronze, in cutting stones to set and wood to work in each craft. And, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab the son of Ahisamak, the tribe of Dan. And I have given to every wise man the ability to do all that I have commanded thee: the tabernacle of the congregation, the ark of the testimony, and the seat of grace that is upon it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table, and its utensils, and the pure candlestick, and all its utensils. and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and the bowl, and the staff, and the fine garments, the holy garments of Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, the anointing oil, and the incense of incense before the sanctuary. According to all that I have commanded you, they will do. "

It is so easy to focus on Moses or Aaron or Joshua or some other great leader in the history of Israel. It is so easy to assume that they are the focus of the story. They are gifted of God. They are called by God. They are the ones God uses to accomplish His great work. But Bezalel and Oholiab are quick to remind us that ALL of us are in some way gifted by God and that ALL of us are called to use our gifts for His glory. Not heroes are just pastors or missionaries. The people of God use the gifts God has given to each of them for the building up of the Body of Christ and the glory of the Kingdom of God. When we do not initiate our gifts or in any way diminish our gifts, we lose at least part of what God has planned for us. Imagine how impoverished we would be if there had never been Bezalel or Oholiab? Consider the impact on the life of worshiping Israel if there were no craftsmen to do everything God had ordained?

Now, think about our lives together. Let's think about our worship together. What gifts do you bring? Is this a gift from music? A gift of prayer? The gift of friendship? A gift from production? The gift of preaching? The gift of teaching? A gift of serving? If you are a Christian, the same Spirit of God fills you with the one who filled Bezalel. The same Spirit gives us all the gifts and talents we need to worship and serve God as we require. So how do you practice your gift? How do you want to use your gift to build others in the church family? Your home? In the neighborhood? At work or school? Fill God with the same passion He once gave Bezalel and Oholiab, and serve His gifts and talents in God's mission in the world!

annabel lee google translated

That was a lot a year ago,
   In a kingdom at sea
That there is a girl there that you may know
   By the name of Annabelle Lee;
And this maid lived without any idea
   I love myself too and love.

I was a kid, and he was a kid,
   By this kingdom
But we love it more than love
   Anna and Ann Lee and I
Saraf in love with blue wings
   He was looking for me.

Back then
   From this kingdom
Clouds strong wind out
   O just lady Annan Lee;
Song: for his sister's son, therefore, came
   Far away from me.
serious lock
   for sea country.

Non-satisfied angels in heaven,
   En Me and her
That is the reason (as everyone knows,
   In this kingdom of the sea) \ t
The wind came out of the clouds at night,
   My Annabel Lee cools the killing.

But our love is better than love
   We from the old people-
   Smarter than us
Not just angels in heaven
   Not a devil under the sea
My soul is shattered
   Anna Belly.

Since the moon has not yet come to light, my dream has not come true
   Annabelle Lee.
The stars didn’t wake up, but I felt my eyes light up
   Annabelle Lee.
So I lay next to me every night
   By grace - my love - my life and my wife,
   His grave there by the sea -
   Crying at his grave by the sea.

Creepy kids

sour patch kids